Thursday, February 14, 2008

Dear Comic Art Fan,

This has been a sad week for the comic book community as it has lost several members. Indie writer and editor Bob Callahan, best known for the Neon Lit line, passed away last week. Steve Gerber, creator of Howard the Duck and Thundarr the Barbarian, lost his battle with pulmonary fibrosis on February 10th. French colorist Stéphane Peru, who worked on titles such as Ultimate X-Men, Annihilation, Teen Titans: Year One, and 52, died of a heart attack at the young age of twenty-six. Finally, legendary movie poster artist John Alvin passed away, whose work of iconic images includes E.T., Gremlins, The Princess Bride, and Jurassic Park. CAF would like to extend our condolences to all of their family and friends.

And we hope that all of our members and their sweethearts enjoy Valentine's Day! See you next week.

I have loved comics my entire life. I never thought as a kid I would have a career in comics but here I am. I started looking at comics before I could even read. I remember digging Spidey, the Guardians of the Galaxy and Deathlok. By the age of 16 I was buying comic collections. Throughout high school and college I was averaging 35 weekends of shows a year. I really paid my dues. When I graduated college I decided to go for it as a comic dealer full time. I started by playing middle man with bulk warehouses and by selling comic books on the streets of Manhattan (my beat was Broadway between John & Maiden) and today I am a co-owner in the largest dealership for vintage comic books in the world, Metropolis Collectibles (ironically enough also located on Broadway in Manhattan).

Along the way I co-founded New York’s Big Apple Comic Conventions, work as a consultant for New York Comic Con and host a radio show on www.ComicZoneRadio.com. Oh yeah, I also buy comic art. I never had a clue when I was a kid that you could actually buy original art.

First piece I can remember buying was a Romita framed Spidey profile (which I still have). 2nd piece was a Marshall Rogers pen and ink sketch of Batman at the 1994 Chicago Comic Con from my dear friend Lance Washington for $40.00.

Throughout my life I have studied art and art history. I have been to many of the great museums in the world like the Louvre, the Hermitage, the Met, MOMA and the Ufizi to name a few. I look at comic art in the same way I do Renaissance, Baroque, Impressionism and Pop Art. If it moves me, if it makes me feel something it is art. And comic art moves me!

2. What is your favorite piece in your gallery and why?

My favorite is the cover to Amazing Adventures #11 (1st Furry Beast). I had heart palpitations the entire week this piece was on ebay. I tried very hard to get the owner to close the auction early but I couldn't. I waited until the last second and got it! Why so important to me? When I was around 7 years old I remember reading this comic and being blown away by Hank McCoy's ability to make a pseudoderm mask to cover up his furry face. That one panel stuck with me and I never forgot the cover. Kane and Everett are my two favorite artists and this piece truly makes me feel like a kid again! Now you can't beat that!

3. How long have you been collecting comic art and what prompted you to start?

I have been collecting since the early 90s. I stumbled into it as a comic dealer. Art would come my way and sometimes I would buy it. I later realized that not only did it look great on the walls of my office but it was a pretty good investment. I invest in comics as well, but comics are my business and in order to be successful as a comic dealer you have to have a personal detachment from comics. So art is pretty cool. I have a rather large collection, only a small portion of it is exhibited on my Comic Art Fans gallery.

4. Who has been your favorite interviewee on the Comic Zone?

Other than Bill Cox, the founder of ComicArtFans.com, I would have to say there are a bunch that come to mind. Guests like Stan Lee, Frank Miller, James O’Barr, Jim Shooter, Arthur Suydam, Dan Jurgens, Denny O’Neil, Frank Miller, Nick Cardy, Marshall Rogers, Mike Ploog and Todd McFarlane were all amazing. If you are interested there are over 4 years of weekly interviews with many of your favorite artists, writers, dealers, directors, actors, original art collectors, comic historians and sculptors archived and free for you to listen to at www.ComicZoneRadio.com.

5. What are your top five most wanted original pages or commissions?

I would like to get a Wolverton page, a Ditko Spidey cover, a Marshall Rogers Mister Miracle cover, a Perez Avengers cover and a Byrne X-Men cover. All in due time.